One year later: looking back at COVID-19
On March 12th, 2020, the first COVID-19 patient was admitted at Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH). Our team had been preparing fervently for that day and they got to work. One year later, it’s incredible to think about what we have all accomplished together – as a community, as health care partners across the region, and at QCH itself.
The saying goes that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ but it was much more than that. In the early days of the pandemic, our team stepped up. They were committed to doing the right thing and they focused on doing it well – both at the hospital and in the community. Located in fast-growing west Ottawa, QCH has built its reputation on seeing the person in each of the nearly 500,000 people who turn to us for care each year.
At QCH, our culture speaks to adapting, responding, and taking bold steps when required. It’s about thinking outside the box. It’s about being nimble and solving problems. The pandemic has tested our innovative spirit more than ever before, but Team QCH was ready.
Like all health care organizations, we quickly enhanced our already stringent infection control measures to keep everyone safe. New procedures were introduced in the ER, including a temporary drive-thru COVID-19 testing. Hospital units were converted to provide overflow space. Operating space became a second ICU. A distinct COVID-19 Unit was created. Working with community partners, we opened a Care and Testing Centre in a vacant school on Moodie Drive, additional patient beds at a local Kanata hotel, and even a pop-up testing centre in the parking lot of the Canadian Tire Centre. We supported local long-term care homes with expertise, extra hands and ongoing testing. We added 95 new beds at the hospital and hired more than 500 new staff. I want to thank each and every member of Team QCH for this extraordinary response.
I also want to salute our local communities. By staying home, you have helped fight this pandemic and you have saved lives. We know it has been difficult for families of patients and for those whose surgeries and tests have been impacted. With your actions, you have helped us to care for COVID-19 patients and the most vulnerable. You have also been so generous with donations – personal protective equipment, gifts to the QCH Foundation, and words of encouragement for our staff. Thank you!
It’s an understatement to say that we are tired. This pandemic has shone a light on health care workers and the critical need for more of them. They have put themselves on the front-line - hour by hour, day by day, month by month. We know you are tired too.
Last week, our depleted reserves were buoyed with Newsweek’s announcement naming QCH as the #1 hospital in the region. We are so thrilled. We want to hug one another. But we can’t right now. So, it’s virtual high fives and a giant thank you to Team QCH and our supportive communities. We also received provincial approval and funding for the rebuilding of our Mental Health Unit. This is welcome news – and a promise for the future, as mental health supports are more important than ever.
As we mark this one-year milestone, we need to keep moving. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have made it this far by working together and we must stay vigilant. At QCH, we will continue to care for you and one another. We will continue to be innovative and do our part to beat this pandemic. Our communities deserve nothing less.
Dr. Andrew Falconer, President and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital
